When Princess Charlene married Prince Albert of Monaco in 2011, her life changed.
Once best known as an Olympic swimmer representing South Africa, she was reintroduced to the world as a princess.
According to the official Monaco royal website, she was born Charlene Lynette Wittstock on January 25, 1978, in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. At age 12, she moved to South Africa with her parents and her younger brothers.
There she began forging a career as a swimmer, taking home several awards at the 1997 South African championship, including the prized Best Female Swimmer.
In 2000, Charlene represented South Africa at the Sydney Olympics. As fate would have it, her future husband Albert was there as a spectator. But the pair wouldn't officially cross paths until she visited Monaco for a swimming competition later that year. From there, their relationship blossomed into a marriage, which was followed by the birth of their twins, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella.
However, marrying into a royal family came with certain lifestyle adjustments, including the way Charlene dressed in public.
From her days as an Olympic athlete to being one of the most recognized princesses around the world today, here's a closer look at Charlene's style evolution.